ENTRAINMENT
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1105 ▶ |
| Object type | Discipline oriented, Methodology or model |
- “A locking together of frequencies” (A.T. WINFREE, 1980, p.114).
This phenomenon corresponds to the behavior of two or more oscillators in process of coupling. The oscillators may be electrical, physical (clocks), chemical (malonic acid reaction), biological (organic functions) or social (dictyostelium discoideum congregation, fireflies forming swarms and, probably, homogeneization of some characteristics in human groups).
Entrainment is thus a process of self-organization. It can be topologically modelized (R.A. ABRAHAM & C.D. SHAW, 1988, p.560).
WINFREE explains that entrainment does not necessarily implies “… a stable relationship, let alone… synchrony” (Ibid).
Entrainment is not possible “… if the periods are too unequal or the mutual influence is too faint” (Ibid).
Mutual influence obviously implies mutual perception through some mode of communication. In S. STROGATZ and I. STEWART words: “If their interconnections are too weak, the oscillators will be unable to achieve synchrony” (or an existing sychrony will be destroyed) (1993). This was already shown by Chr. HUYGHENS, with his classical experiment on synchronic correlation of two clocks.
For an experimental device that demonstrates entrainment see W. GARVER and F. MOSS “electronic fireflies” (1993, p.94).